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Tips & Advice

So you’ve taken your first steps out on your college campus: attending classes, adjusting to dorm life and new friends, and trying to find some balance in it all. Are you still feeling like there is something else you need to, or want to be doing? By now you’ve figured out where the holes are in your schedule, and you know the time that you have to volunteer. And there are plenty of organizations on your campus that are looking for you, so how do you get started?

Take some tips from Nick Reinagel, senior at Missouri State University, and Loretha Cain, sophomore at Missouri State University. Both of these students have found their volunteering niche on their college campus, and they started these niches their freshman year.

“I got involved with projects at Missouri State by reading about organizations that were constructed around volunteering,” Loretha says. “I would see links on Missouri State’s website about volunteering in towns around the campus. It’s just a matter of searching and finding what interests you.”

Nick Reinagel found organizations on Missouri State’s campus that did a lot of service. “Look into service sororities or fraternities, join an email list that gives out information about volunteer opportunities, and also look into churches and church organizations on campus to find out about opportunities in the area,” he says.

The search for organizations and opportunities on campus isn’t as difficult as you might think. “Go to your school’s web page and type ‘volunteer service’ into their search bar, something will definitely come up,” Loretha suggests. Loretha and Nick both had experiences through volunteering that have been irreplaceable. “While volunteering I have met such great people, and I feel like I’ve made a huge impact on kids’ lives,” Nick says. “Just being able to give back is always a great feeling,” Loretha agrees.

So get out there, start your search, and find one or two organizations that are a good fit for you. Join an email list, talk to your friends and their involvement in organizations, and check it out with them. “By volunteering, you never know who you may meet, especially in college, it’s a great networking tool,” Loretha says. “Not only do you fulfill your heart, but you also get to meet some incredible people along the way who could be your friend for life,” Nick says.